3 new rivalries the Jaguars made in 2017

The Jacksonville Jaguars came into 2017 with several divisional and conference rivalries, most of which they were able to win. They were also able to make some new rivalries in 2018 and here are three that could boil over into future meetings:

3. San Francisco 49ers

Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan had their way with the Jags’ defense in their regular season meeting, and it without a doubt left a bad taste in their mouths. As most fans are aware, Garoppolo’s 5-0 record as a starter was enough to land him a contract extension Thursday and make him the highest paid player in NFL history. If he is the star who the 49ers and most casual fans believe he is, the Jags haven’t seen the last of — him and hopefully, they’ll be better prepared for what he brings to the table.

This rivalry is one that involves more respect between the two teams as opposed to the rivalries that will be listed at the No. 1-2 spots. After the Jags and 49ers battled it out Week 16, it became clear that the two teams could be the future of the NFL. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me the slightest bit if these two teams met in a Super Bowl or two in the future.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/Cincinnati Enquirer via USA TODAY Sports

The Jags-Bengals Week 9 meeting was probably one of the chippiest games of the NFL season as the two teams had various scuffles. One of those was the infamous fight between Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Green, which resulted in an ejection for both players. The other was a heated back-and-forth during the game’s warm-up session for the second half.

To make matters worse, it was confirmed after the game that Ramsey tried to enter the Bengals locker room, which goes to show fans how heated things got on the gridiron. In fact, the Jags-Bengals game felt similar to the Bengals’ rivalry with the Steelers, and one can’t help but wonder what could go down when the two meet again.

1. Seattle Seahawks

Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Once former coach Gus Bradley established his defense in Jacksonville, fans instantly began calling them the new Seattle Seahawks. However, they could never acquire a good enough record to warrant the title until this past season. Bradley may be gone, but the Jags were able to keep his good friend and former Seahawks positional coach Todd Wash. With Doug Marrone bringing in a smashmouth identity on offense and a winning culture on top of Wash’s defense, the Jags were able to finally become the Seahawks of the south.

In their Week 14 meeting, the big cats proved they were ready to take the torch from the team they were modeled after. The Seahawks didn’t take to kindly to it and caused a few scuffles throughout the game. The two most notable occurred late in the game when Michael Bennett took a dive at Brandon Linder’s knee. Quinton Jefferson’s ensuing attempt to dive in the stands added extra fuel to the fire, and it goes without saying that neither team or fanbase will forget the chain of events in their next meeting.

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